Red Ruin Roulette ETO (id:#61257)

(Kampfgruppe Scherer: The Shield of Cholm ID: FT KGS10)   [next]   [previous]

Kholm, Novgorod Province, Russia 1942-05-01 (5 others)

Overview:

Two platoons of Kompanie 2 of IR 409 had flown into the Cholm pocket by glider in early March to help augment KG Scherer. For these men that remained alive and combat effective nearly two months later, May Day saw them in some of the bitterest and closest fighting of the nearly 100 day old siege. May 1 opened with a massive Soviet artillery barrage. For 1st Platoon of Kompanie 2 under Lt. Stenzel stationed in the Red Ruins at its commander, the Russian lines was less than 40 meters away and once the barrage had lifted, it was not long until Russian grenades rained down amid his positions in the ruins and cellars. Worse the defenders could catch glimpses of Soviet tanks rumbling past them on the rampage.

Defender: German (Kampfgruppe Scherer)  

Errata (source)